Jeremiah
By Tami Canaday
(World Premiere)
Directed by Benchmark Theatre Guest Director Kate Poling
August 11 - September 2, 2023
Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm with additional Sunday matinees at 2pm.
Industry Night Performance - Monday, August 28th at 8pm
(No performance on Friday, September 1st due to the First Friday Art Celebration.)
Adult content and language are used throughout. No children under the age of 12 are permitted.
The United States has an obsession with guns. This world premiere play by local playwright, Tami Canaday, explores a scenario when a teenager stumbles upon a handgun and the tragic consequences that follow. With the ever-rising mass shootings, gun violence and deaths in America, this is a timely play that asks tough questions and holds a mirror up to our society.
A Letter From The Playwright:
Why is it, in the vast majority of cases, it’s predominantly males who are involved in America’s gun violence? What is it about males and guns? Roughly two years ago, I started writing Jeremiah because I was curious to explore the role guns play in shaping certain boys and men’s perceptions of masculinity. Specifically, I was interested in the magnification of self — a vengeful self and a powerful self — that a firearm can potentially bestow on a young man. Jeremiah goes beyond the scope of gun control debates, which have reached an impasse anyway, to look at the psychological and sociocultural factors that empower young men to be violent. Lastly, I wanted to broaden the conversation surrounding the impact of firearms on personal identity for vulnerable young men.
Next, a big shout-out thank you to Kate, Kaden, James, Nate, Brandon, Lauren, Haley, Neil, Kevin, Jaime, and Marc - the gifted and committed artists who made this production possible. I’d also like to thank Dr. Angela Stroud, of Northland College, who talked to me about her book on masculinity and guns. Also, an enlightened thank you to my gun consultant, John Foster. Thank you too to my Lefty Writing Group: Ellen K. Graham and Frank Oteri. Further, a heartfelt thank you to my husband, Gordon Reusink. And finally, I want to thank you, the audience, for attending Benchmark’s World Premiere of Jeremiah.
Sincerely,
Tami Canaday
JEREMIAH
By Tami Canaday
Tami Canaday’s work has been performed in various countries including the U.S., Canada, and Japan. Her literary pieces have been featured in publications such as The Best Stage Scenes, The Best Women’s Stage Monologues, The Good Ear Review, Young Women’s Monologues from Contemporary Plays, the StoneCoast Review, Qutub Minar Review among others. Additionally, her plays have been selected for various festivals and performances, including the Athena Project, the Western Playwrights’ Showcase, and the New York International Fringe Festival. In Denver, she has collaborated with theater companies such as the LIDA Project, Countdown to Zero, The Denver Center (play slams), ONS, and others. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. Tami firmly believes in the transformative power of new plays that thoroughly examine the vulnerabilities and shortcomings of our contemporary culture. Thank you, Benchmark, for valuing and requesting this type of work. tamicanaday.com
CAST
JEREMIAH - Kaden Hinkle
This is Kaden's Benchmark Theatre debut! Kaden grew up on the Denver stages, performing the title roles in the regional premieres of Billy Elliot (Vintage), A Christmas Story (Town Hall), Tarzan (Arvada Center), 13, the Musical (Wolf) among many others at the Aurora Fox, BDT Stage, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and the Pace Center. He is a rising junior at Pace University in New York studying musical theater (BFA). Kaden has always pursued theater as a means of inciting change and self-reflection. Thank you for supporting live theater, and enjoy the show. IG: @_Kaden.Hinkle_
MITCHELL - James Giordano
James is very excited to be working on this world premiere with Benchmark Theatre. James made his professional debut earlier this year with the Butterfly Effect Theatre of Colorado in the rolling world premiere of Eden Prairie, 1971. He graduated from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in 2022 with a degree in film and theater. He worked on various student short films that screened at New York Independent Cinema Awards, Indie Short Fest, and Venice Shorts Film Fest. With the UCCS Theater Company, he starred in productions of: A Flea in Her Ear, Everybody, As You Like It and No Exit.
TOBIAS - Brandon Billings
Brandon is ecstatic to make his first appearance at Benchmark Theatre in this world-premiere production. Brandon was recently seen in the 6-hour epic The Inheritance, as well as The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong & Fireflies at Vintage Theatre. He has also appeared at the Arvada Center in The River Bride. Shortly after this production closes, Brandon will begin rehearsals for his first show at Miners Alley Playhouse in The Cherry Orchard. In addition to performing on stage, Brandon also works in film, TV and commercial jobs as an actor. Next year, Brandon will once again make another debut at the Ocean City Film Festival as the lead actor in the film: The Newt.
TODD - Nate Cushing
Nate is an emerging young professional actor native to Denver, and he is thrilled to be in this show with Benchmark. Nate was named the Best Male Performer at the 2018 Colorado Thespian Conference. His previous work spans from Irish Plays to Shakespeare to playing Albert Einstein. He is a recent graduate from the University of Denver where he earned a dual-degree in Theatre and Psychology.
CREATIVE TEAM
Director - Kate Poling
Kate is making her directorial debut at Benchmark Theatre. She is a director and actor based in Denver, and holds a BFA in Acting from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Previous directorial credits include: Mother Goose, Rumpelstiltskin and Princess and the Pea at Miners Alley Playhouse, as well as several short pieces for And Toto Too. Kate is also a teaching artist and has worked with young people at such places as The Denver Center and the Arvada Center. Enjoy the show!
Scenic Design - Neil Truglio
Light Design - Kevin Taylor
Sound Design - Marc Stith
Costume Design - Jaime McNear
Jaime has been booping around the Denver theatre scene making props, costumes, and painting faces and surfaces for whoever will let her for about a decade. Her favorite credits are all of them, but she has really loved this opportunity to work on the world premiere of Jeremiah with all of the other incredible artists in this program. You can find a poorly maintained Instagram of some of her work at @liftedlullabies. Previously, she designed costumes for Benchmark’s production of The Arsonists.
PRODUCTION TEAM
Stage Manager - Lauren Hergenreter
Lauren is thrilled to be returning to Benchmark Theatre after stage managing Wakey Wakey, 1984, Bull in a China Shop, Airness and The Covid Wife. Previous shows she’s stage managed include: See What I Wanna See and RENT (Ignite Theatre); Other Desert Cities, Always a Bridesmaid, Curtains and Funny Girl (Vintage Theatre); The Blue Room (Lost & Found Productions); …Forum, Little Shop of Horrors and The Wedding Singer (Northglenn Players); Bite Size: A Pocket Full of Dandelions (Denver Center); In the Trenches (19K Productions); Tomfoolery (Aurora Fox); Plaid Tidings (THAC); Same Time, Next Year and Moon for the Misbegotten (Cherry Creek Theatre). She has also assistant stage managed All My Sons and Driving Miss Daisy (Cherry Creek Theatre); as well as Fuddy Meers and Pygmalion (Phamaly Theatre Company). She wishes to thank Kate and Haley for this opportunity as well as the cast and production team for all their hard work to make this show a success!
Scenic Build - Christian Edris, Andrew Horn & Neil Truglio
Production Photography - McLeod9 Creative
Program Design - Marc Stith
Firearms Courtesy of Kevin Taylor
Producer & Front of House Management - Haley Johnson
Front of House Volunteers - Carol Bloom, Alicia Horn, Andrew Horn, Heidi Markley, Pat Salas, Gloria Shanstrom & Andrea Tucker
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
April Alsup, Rachel Clark
Haley Johnson & Gloria Shanstrom
BENCHMARK EXECUTIVE TEAM
Executive Director - Haley Johnson
Artistic Director - Neil Truglio
Strategic & Marketing Director - Marc Stith
SPECIAL THANKS
40West Arts, Chicano Humanities & Arts Council, Colorado Theatre Guild, The E Project Board of Directors, Lakewood BID, The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, Vintage Theatre; Beck, Brit & Chantelle, Liz Black, Christian Edris, Brenda Gurule, Andrew Horn, Marcus & Mason, Bill Marino and Joseph & Mary Pirozzoli